So what’s up, Glam Metal Fans? You are the most phenomenal fans in the freaking world! Check this out: posting here on two great Glam Metal bands, which feature two ultra-blonde male lead singers, with ultra-Glam rock and heavy metal music: Skid Row, featuring lead singer Sebastian Bach, and Shotgun Messiah. First off, lets take a look at Skid Row, the Glam Rock Metal band with an unparalleled sound, mainly due to the prodigious windpipes of lead singer Sebastian Bach. However, since Skid Row split with Sebastian (back in 1996), the overall fan experience has not yet been the same. To me Skid Row is just not Skid Row without Sebastian. Still, here is the new Skid Row band write-up from their website “The first rebellion started in 1986. New Jersey kids, punk and metal attitude, determined to conquer the world. All for one, banded together with single-minded purpose. The battlefield was the stage, the songs their arsenal in an us-against-them musical coup d’état. Top Ten singles. Gold and multi-platinum sales. No. 1 on the Billboard album chart. The world was theirs, the rebellion won, until there was nothing left to fight for — so they fought each other. Following an ill-advised South American tour in 1996, the band was finished. But the core camaraderie never died.” http://www.skidrow.com. Can’t help but notice no mention of Sebastian, eh?

Back up, what’s the backstory there? Yeah, well, here it is: Skid Row formed in 1986 in Toms River, New Jersey, and their main commercial success was with their debut album, Skid Row (1989), and Slave to the Grind (1991). The original members were bassist Rachel Bolans, guitarist Dave “Snake” Sabo, guitarist Scotti Hill, drummer Rob Affuso, and lead singer Sebastian Bach. Dave “Snake” Sabo and John Bongiovi (Jon Bon Jovi) were teenage friends, and Sabo was briefly a member of the Bon Jovi band, until replaced by guitarist Richie Sambora. Skid Row went 5x platinum featuring singles “18 and Life,” and “I Remember You.” Skid Row supported Bon Jovi on their New Jersey tour, after Sabo and Jon Bon Jovi had promised each other that if either one ever made it in the music business they would help the other out. The first to achieve success was Jon Bon Jovi, and true to his word, helped Skid Row get their first record deal.

It was pretty surprising to me to read exactly why Sebastian Bach and Skid Row split up. I thought it was the “bottle incident” that you Glam Rock fans have heard me describe in an earlier podcast, but NO! It was due to Bach and Bolan disagreeing on whether to open for KISS in 1996. Sebastian had booked the gig, but the other band members thought that was beneath them to open for KISS. So the group and Sebastian parted ways, even though later Skid Row opened for KISS in 1998, 1999, and 2000, especially in 2000 for KISS “Farewell Tour.” Well, yours truly saw KISS in concert in 2007, so that was not really a “Farewell Tour” for KISS. True to form, Sebastian left the message on the bands answering machine in 1996 that Skid Row was never too big to open for KISS, sparing none of the choice words and attitude that he is famous for.

Skid Row, without Bach, continues to shoot down any ideas or possibilities of having Sebastian come back, telling Blabbermouth.net:

“Lastly, amidst all of the rumors and speculation, there has been no talk of a reunion [with former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach] nor are we opening for GUNS N’ ROSES. That’s it for now. We’ll keep you updated as best we can.”

Skid Row will be releasing “United World Rebellion” record in 2019. Sebastian Bach’s most recent record was with the 2014 release of “Give ‘Em Hell” and is currently on tour, with upcoming July concert dates in Poughkeepsie, NY, Cleveland, Ohio, and Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Finally, check out the latest from Shotgun Messiah, a Sleaze Metal band from Sweden, recently re-united in 2012, with live album released in 2016. Sweden Rock Magazine named Shotgun Messiah #38 on “Best Rock Bands of Sweden Ever.”

And of course, the only true Messiah is J.C.: Jesus Christ, our Lord. That’s obvious.

KIX is an American hard rock and glam metal band that was formed in Hagerstown, Maryland in 1977. KIX has earned the indisputable title of Baltimore’s most exciting live rock band, which is why KIX is a constant headliner at the M3 concert series in Maryland each year. KIX are vocalist Steve Whiteman; drummer Jimmy “Chocolate” Chalfant; guitarists Brian “Damage” Forsythe; Ronnie “10/10” Younkins; and bass guitarist Mark Schenker. KIX has earned the reputation as one of the hardest-working bands all up and down the East coast, playing almost every club or bar six days a week for three solid years before they were “discovered” by Atlantic records. Or as lead singer Steve Whiteman often would say in a classic taunt: “We are coming to a dump near you!” KIX band released their self-entitled album in 1981, featuring crowd favorites “Atomic Bomb,” “Yeah Yeah Yeah,” and “The Itch.”

Ultimately, what makes KIX unique? Check out the reviews by some in the rock music press: Stereogum writes, “Historically, KIX were a total footnote, and their one real national hit “Don’t Close Your Eyes” was a B-level power ballad. At their commercial peak, they were opening for RATT on tour. In their hometown, though, KIX were total gods, rulers of the legendary downtown Baltimore white-trash rock club Hammerjacks.” Loud and Proud records owner Tom Lipsky adds, “What I have always loved about KIX is they make rock ‘n’ roll fun.” And All Music writes, “The truth is, KIX were different. They were different because they were much better—they had better hooks, rocked harder, and they could write songs” -later adding their “albums sounded like a constant party.” So yeah of course, it’s a bitchin’ great time, always, with KIX!

KIX achieved significant commercial success with the release of Midnite Dynamite in 1985 (“Midnite Dynamite,” “Cold Shower”); but Midnite Dynamite did not come close to the ascendancy of 1989’s Blow My Fuse (“Get it While its Hot,” “Don’t Close Your Eyes,” “She Dropped the Bomb”) which went Platinum. The single “Don’t Close Your Eyes” with lyrics attempting to stop suicide (of a girlfriend?) entered the Hot 100 at number 11. In 1989, KIX released Blow My Fuse: The Videos which had the band’s official videos and behind-the-scenes footage. Also, KIX release a live album from -where else- Baltimore in 1993, which at first was entitled Contractual Obligation Live. When KIX were touring arenas, they opened for AC/DC, Aerosmith, David Lee Roth, as well as RATT. (See Wikipedia and AllMusic.com for this band history.)

Fast forward 19 years to 2014 when KIX released their newest CD, Rock Your Face Off after signing with Loud and Proud Records. What makes this all so truly astonishing, according to the press release from Loud and Proud, is that the group still consists of the original members! Witness just how dynamic and HOT this band still is. The video in HD is intoxicating, and the DVD set “Can’t Stop the Show: The Return of KIX” entered Billboard Top Music Video Sales at # 3 on October 26, 2016. KIX tested the waters in 2008, according to Loud and Proud, at “two of the biggest rock festivals in the U.S.: Rocklahoma in Oklahoma and Rock the Bayou in Texas, where they earned ‘Best Performance’ among the fans there, playing alongside Alice Cooper, Tesla, Queensryche, RATT, and more.” Check it out, and watch these kick-ass dudes bring the house down at M3 in Maryland this coming May.

Britny Fox were an American glam metal band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania who are best known for their hits “Girlschool” and “Long Way to Love.” The band’s name came from lead vocalist “Dizzy” Dean Davidson, who commissioned the name “Britny Fox” after a Welsh ancestor of his. The band formed in 1986 and also featured Billy Childs on bass, Michael Kelly Smith on lead guitar, and Tony Destra on drums. {For this and more information see Wikipedia.} Both Michael Smith and Tony Destra had had prior stints with glam rockersCinderellaprior to the formation of Britny Fox. It was their connections toCinderellathat helped Britny Fox secure a recording contract. (CBS Records) However, their future prospects dimmed somewhat due to the untimely death of Tony Destra in a car accident. His replacement was Johnny Dee, formerly of the bandWaysted. B.Fox released two demos, one in 1986 (“In America”) and the other in 1987 (“Rock is Gonna Fight”); this then resulted in the band’s eminent debut album, of their same name, entitled simplyBritny Fox.

Britny Foxwas one of the most striking debut albums in 1988, selling more than one million records, and bringing many fans to their tour withPoisonandWarrant. In 1988, Britny Fox also wonMetal Edgemagazine’s award for“Best New Band”. After the release of the band’s second albumBoys in Heat, Davidson departed to start another band,Blackeyed Susan.Britny Fox’ third album,Bite Down Hard, was less of a grand slam due to the overall decline of glam metal in the late 80s for the grunge rock movement that was evolving at the time.

The band recorded one final studio albumSpringboard Motorsharkin 2003 after the original band reunited in 2000. They toured the US and Europe in 2007 and 2008. The band separated once more, and in spite of Dean Davidson’s pursuit to bring the band back together in 2010, the endeavor failed.

For those of you who cannot get enough of Britny Fox, read Tommy Paris’ interview on Sleazeroxx. [Tommy Paris was the lead singer who replaced Dean Davidson during the 1990s and was lead vocalist during the 2007 & 2008 tours]. Here is the link:http://www.sleazeroxx.com/interviews/paris.shtml